Conveyer for branding machines



n De. 5, 1944.`

J. PEARSON coNvEYER Fon BRANDING MACHINES Filed April 16, 1941 2 sheetssheet 1 l Dec. 5, 1944. J, PEARSON 2,364,163

CONVEYER FOR BRANDING MACHINES Filed April 16, 1941 2 Sheets-sheet 2 dA RL., PEA Rsov @Y W 74. 9M,

A TTORNE Y Patented Dec. s, 1944 Umreo STATES PA wcoNvEYERFoR BRANDING MACHINES"I t i i Jarl Pearson, BerkeleypCaliA i 1ApplicationtAprilia, 1941, serial No, 383,856] t s Claims. `(Clt.19t-qw` i respectiyelyfmounted on'fshafts` I1 and i8 andi-9 `which are mutuallyparallel and are` journalledfin suitablebearings provided at the opposite sidesef i the frame. y;

At one frame `side,the shafts `,Il and `litre'-` spectively mount mutually engaged' gears 2 l, and 22, and these gears are arranged `to be driven `at aniappropriate rotary speedlby suitable jdrive` a particularly `effective cooperation between the carrier and printing elements of the. machine.

, `,Another object of the invention is to provide an improved and simple hopper means for supplying the articles-,for imprinting toa pluralityof lines of conveyer pockets providedby thecarrie'r. f

, A `further object is toprovide an improved means for alternati@11ninltif'lg.` .the ,armies vstampsof therotary printing element. t i A more specific object isto provide a branding machine which is particularly adapted for the ,branding of walnuts and other globatenuta,

`An added object isto effect a preferred posi-` tioning on the carrier ofwalnuts, and otherglo- A, bate articles having equatorial ridges,` to be branded, l, t

`The invention possesses other objects and features of Vadvantagafsome of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth or be apparent in the following description of a typicalembodimen't thereof,l and in the accompanyingdrawings, in which,

Figure 1 is afront elevation of a unitary walnut branding machine` embodying the ypresent invention, portions offtherstructure being broken awa-y. `Figure `2 is a side elevation of the machine.

Figure`t3 is `an enlarged `fragmentary `section taken at thebrokenlineB-J in Figure l; t

Figure 4 `is a fragmentary sectiontat the line `ll-fllinligure 3; i

`taken in the plane of `movement of a printing [Figure5` is 'anienlargedfragmentary section i stamp, and showing the stamp in imprinting relation to a walnut in a carrier pocket.`

Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan view of the boti 'tom of the supply hopper. ,t t i As is particularly shown, the featuresof pres ,ent invention are embodied Yin the structure Qta` `unitary"branding machine" of which a suitable frame, H supports a` carrier drum i2, a gravity `supplyhopper I3. a printing cylinder l!! providing i branding stamps"l i5, stamp inking'` means including an inkingroller "IS, means to maintain an t connections from an electric` motor` 23; in, the

presentinstance, saiddrive connections provide a speed reduction with respect to the motor speed i and comprise a pulley Mon the motor shaft 25, a

In the present machine, the carrier drum I2 comprises a cylindriciside wall 3Ifi`xed to end discs 32 ,which receive the shaft l1 axially there- J `through and inisplined relation thereto for a rotation of `thedrum with the shaft. i The periph- ,eral drum wall 3l is providedfwitlicircumferenf` tial linesofcircularopenings 33 `which `are uniformly spaced -in their` lines,` said openings being somewhat larger thangenerally globate articles N,

which are to be branded by useof the machine. Asparticularly shown,I the articles N `comprise `walnutsand may hereinafter beso' referred to,

but no unnecessary limitation `thereto of the application of the` present 4novel features is tobe thereby implied, assaid features maybe 'appli-` cable to thebranding of generally globatearticles such as other nuts, citrus and `other fruits, balls, etc. f

t Outwardlyopening cup-like sockets or pockets 34 are provided by cup members` 35 mounted at the .openings 33, andthecuprmembers are preierably formed of amaterial which is resiliently .yielding anddeformableto a slight extent Where,- `by a pocket bottom maymore or less conform to the engagedface portion of an article N whichis pressed into the pocket by theprinting engage- .mentof a branding stampi 5 therewith and so `secure the article against rocking ,during` the `branding operation.

As illustrated. the pocket interiors arespherically,curved,and the meni-` `bers 35 areprovided with out-turned rim flanges 36 which `arearranged to seat on the outer face ofthe peripheral drum wall 3| `while the basin portion of a memberextends into an opening 33 of the wall. Since the cupmembers 34 and brand- "ing stamps Vand inkingwroller faces may be formed ofsuitable resilently yielding materials lacking rubberin their compositions, but having 'the `utilized Qualities of rubber compositions, any

an opening 33; in the present structure, the mem-1.

bers 31 are secured to the drum .I2 Joymeansof screws 31 extending therethrough andthreadedly engaging the drum side 3l. Each member :3;13 provided with a transverse extension 3.8 at a rear portion of its opening; preferably, 'and 'as "shown, the forward face 3,9 of the extension is spherically .concave as the inner face of the engaged cup sto provide a scoop-:like extension for ythe soup. For va reason to be hereinater brought mout; the `forward 7scoop face #39 "terminates ragainst I'the outer rim face of the engaged cup 35 rearwardly of the adjacent cup vbasin edge "fto'provideajogor jstep 40at fthe "base of said .'scoopface, this .Teature being shown 'in Figure l5.

. As illustratedrthe printing cylinder II 4 'Tis built I -up of-a pluralityof pulleydike'elementsill 'com- 44. The hubs 42 are splined -cn"'ltn"e shaft IB andare engaged in lend-to-end rrelation"to axially vspace the 'rims 44 of v.the y"elements as lfthe circum- `ferential lines off v*sockets 'providedon the 'drum s "I2 are spaced. At approximately 'spaced points 4.therealong, each rim 44 provided with radial openings 545 ='atwhichthe branding stamps I'are 'resiliently 'mounted Vfor Isolely 'radial displacement withrespectto the-"carrier drumaxis. -Each o'th'e present branding stamps 15 is fofcyliniiricaloutline `having its printing race at .one end, anti has Aits base portioniittedly held -in 'a socket F46 comprising an Iouter -partoffa'men'iber 4'1, the iinner tion and'providing Vas`lro1lder 49 atiits juncture with 'the part 146.

A cup-like `me'mlceril isi'lxedagainsttheinner rim Vface 'at 'each rim. opening "45 with its lrecess have the same effective spacing whereby a stamp may printingly engage an article N in an op-4 posed socket when the article. is ldisposed in a common radial line of the `drum and cylinder. While the desired relation may be accomplished with drums and'cylinders of different effective circumferences, it is preferable that the drum and cylinder have the same effective diameter, as is particularly shown. Correspondingly, the gears 1I .and 22 are :.of likesize, with their jpitch circumferences lying substantially .in lthe mutually tangent effective cylinders of printing of the car- .rier drum and printing cylinder;l with such an a1- ...irangement .the .drum and cylinder may not get outoif step with each other. f

`Et-referring particularly to the showing of Figure 3, it will .be noted that each pocket jointly "provided bythe cup member 35 and the corresponding scoop extension 38 is arranged for-movement upwardly through the articles N in the lower `portion ofjthehopper "I3ito ipick up and 4gravita-ily Vretain a .single article N for yits -movemerit -to the 'top of the drum lfl 2`ior imprinting 'thereat an'd'its subsequent falling f-romthe'socket into-a receiving vtray for 'chute 51 at-'theoppos'ite 'side 'of the carrier drum 'from-the pickup point, said lpockets 'rst engaging the 4articles N in the hopper `at a point 'somewhat 'below-the tlevel of v'the'carrier' drum axis; The hopper fbottomadjacent lthe zone of action of thelpocketslisgpreferably formed to "so position the 'articles iN that they fmay be picked up 4singly 1w'itha minimum ydisplacement 'of the Iadjacent larticles.

As particularly shown, `the sloping lhopperlrlot- :35 tom 58 :is formedwith depressedgparts 59'providpart 48 of Ysai'dfmerri'ber being of polygonal secvring vvguideway *troughsy fof generally triangular pyramid form, with their Ibase `ends nearest the carrier 'I 2 and Vin. the `planes vof 'thecircles 'of the carrier pockets provided onthe drum. With'tilis arrangement, 'articles N in the trough lpart'stjare presented againstthe drum at lower points than kelsewhere inthe hopper, 4andthe articles =so pre- 'sented may directly enter' a pocket coming up from below it .and thereafter cooperate'with the registering with the'saidopening and slidably're- 50 .stepped structure for .the diverging sides of Ythe trou-gh 59, this stepping .of the hopper bottom ceiving Atllepart 48 through va'complernentazry opening in its bottom tio `prevent `a rotation of the stamp -in its mounting. A ring-likememlber 52 vis fixed againstthe outside ci "therim "4f4with rits bore in alignment with the opening V45, said .bore being axially threaded to receive "and `threadedly mount a tubular memberi53 :which slidably and .complementarily receives the ;socket part 46 oi .the member-41 in its bore. Atts outer end, the member 53.i's provided' with anfinturneditmge 541er .engagement `asa stop bythe-free emioi the socket 46, .and an helical compression swing-55v .disposed .about .the .inner Lpart .4B @1f the member 4J vis .constantly .operative 'between the .shoulder 49 of .themember `and 'thebottomo the member 5I `to normally and displaceablyenigage'the.outer .zendof vthe part `'Mil-withth'e .stop'ange Sl'whieh .thereby limits the outward extension of each -stamp I5 with .respect to the .,printing. cylinder'in accordance .with `the adjusted. setting lof themem ber53 in .thelmember 52. '.As .'s'hown, s-crewblts articles above 'it as it .is moved through the hopper.

's The .aforesaid'pickup action and resultmay'be 'still further aided by "providing lthe :illustrated portion being .preferably such thaty the leading 'articlefin the trough is'in `front o'f .thejriser 6U of ,the step and generally `supports .the imme- 55 diately `following. articles upon it `whereby kthe pocket is materially minimized 'While the 'leading .es -are utilized .ref fixing ,each member 5| and i .the ring.5 2 .inpositionon therim .44.

.sockets `of .the `carriercdrurn XL2 `and the branding stamps I5 on the printing cylinder I4 would 76 tive mutual impact or packing thereof.

" veffective pressure and resistance of the 'later.1ar ticles is primarily downward rather than toward the `drum I2. With this arrangement, .the danger ofcrushing the 'articles vin the hopperand a 'lled `and the scoops and the pocketed articles with the vreelarticles .in the .hopperftends to rotate thepocketed and v.free articles in a .direction op- .posite .that of the drum.; vthis action reduces .theeffectve resistance of theree" articles to the rotation of the drum, while preventing .a `destruc- In the case of more or less globatearticles havinga radial projection or a stem, the described fri-ctionally induced rotation of each pocketed ar-` ticle is moreor less stopped -when the projectionY thereof strikes the socket step ,40 forwardly of the scoop bottom; in thismanner,` the projection .may be disposedv away from `.the zone of `ac- `tion of the stamp 1I5 whichlis to'print `on the article when the latter has been moved'upwardly to the printing point.` This positioning action of the Steep 40 is particularly 'valuable with respect to walnuts or other,` articles having equatorial ridges n, it being notedthat the described 'frictional engagement of a pocketed walnut with free walnuts in the hopper will almost invariably` dispose the ridge 'n of the walnut flat against the pocket step 4D and so provide for abranding of the pocketed nuts at corresponding convex surface portions lacking the ridge n.

In the present machine, ink is supplied to the inking roller `H5 from a pick-up roller 6|,Iwhi'ch comprises a longitudinal side of an ink troughor which is arranged for alternate engagement with the roller 6I and a roller 64.` The roller 64 con- I stantly bears against a roller 65 which in turn constantly bears againstlthe inking roller I6,'the `rollers 64 and 65 and I61being engaged along axial `lines of their faces with adjustable degrees ifof pressure in a train whichlis` designed to provide an even coating ofink upon the roller I6. Aslthe printing cylinder `I4 revolves, it is arranged to successively present` the faces ofthe branding stamps I5 against the roller I6 for receiving a printing charge of ink therefrom.

Preferably, and as shown,`the train of rollers 64 and65 `and I6 is positively driven, with A,the latter 'roller having `substantially `the same peripheral speed as the printing cylinder whereby a constant and uniform supply of ink for the stamps is assured-` In Athe present instance,` the dri-ving ofthe rollers 64 and 65`and I6 is effected by driving the roller 65 from a shaft 66 mounted on the `frame II generally below `the trough 6|.

` `As shown, the shaft 66 mounts 1a gear 61 near one end thereof and operative throughidler gears `68 and 69 to actuate a gear 1I.` mounted at an end of the shaft carrying the roller' 65. The. ap-

connection with this seating of` a walnut ina cup 35 during its brandingJt is to beV noted thatas a pocketed walnut is raised beyond the walnuts in the hopper,` it rocks or rolls in thecup 35 until its flange n is no longer opposite the 4pocketstep 48 when the'seating and printing pressure is applied; in thismanner, the desirable fitted pressing `of the positioned walnut into Athe yielding rinaterialof thecup isperrnitted'.

When the stamps have been appropriately set in the cylinder,` their pressureengagement with the inking roller I6 for their inking may need adjustment;` in the present instancefthe shaft I9 of the inking roller I6 is carried on and between I support forks which are horizontally and inl dependently adjustable on the machine frame II to provide any adjustment needed. Following any positioning adjustment ofthe inking roller,

reservoir 62, by means tof a `transfer' rollerc63 rollers 6I `and 84.`

the pressureengagernents `of the roll`e1164 with the roller `Il and of the roller` 64 with` the `roller 65 may be adjusted as needed. ,I

Theshaft 66 also mountsa pair of l generally elliptical plate cams 16 and 11, said cams being that the rotary action of the cam will alternately engageI the `transfer roller 63 with the `rollers 6I and 64; the arm 8I-ispreferably arranged for its constant engagement against the peripheral working edge of the cam under the influence `of a spring 82 which constantlyl urges an appropriate turning of the rock-shaft. In this manner, a constant rotation of the shaft 66 is arl `ranged to periodically effect a transfer of ink from the roller 6I to'the roller 64. v

propriate driving of the inking roller I6 is eiiected l by means of a belt 12 connecting pulleys 13and.

14 respectively mounted on extending ends of the shaft I1 of the carrierldrumand the shaft It will now be noted that, for best branding results, the articles N tobe printed on must be of substantially the same size; in the case ofi nuts and other natural or artificial articles `which may vary in size, those placed in the hopper would be of a gradedrsize range `whereby the branding stamps I5 maybe set foruse with the averagesized articles of the lot. In setting up the `present .machine for branding articles N of a given layerage size, some of thearticles are run through the 'machine and the positioning of the individual branding `stamps I5adjusted radially by adjusting the sleeve nuts 53 until all the stamps on the' vprinting cylinder have their printing faces. disposed in a common cylinder ofxrevolution jex` cept while they are engagingl an article :being printed, the radius of said cylinder of `revolution being such as to provide a `printing Spressure of the stamps on theengagedarticles which will so press` the engaged articles into the :yielding cup bottoms as to secure themagainst rota tionlor shifting `during thebranding thereof.` In `'I5 The cam 11 is peripherally engaged by the free end portion of an arm 83 which is pivoted on the shaft 84 of the pick-up roller 6 I beyond oneend ofthe ink trough 62, anda spring 85 is constantly operative between the arm 83 and an anchorage on thefmachine frame for constantly engaging the arm 83 with the peripheral edge of the cam` 11.` The rocking of the-,arm 83betweenlirniting, positions determined by thefeccentricity of the `cam is` arranged to `effect a rotary displacement `of the roller 6I during each cycle of operations of the cam through the action of a pawlll86 mountedV on the arm.83 and operative against l the teeth of As particularly shown, the arm `83 is formed to provide for the pivotalmounting of the pawl 86 thereon for swinging about an `axisabove and generally" parallel tothe axis `of the roller l 6I, and the pawl 86 is `arranged to` so operate against the ratchet gear 81 thatfthe portion of' the roller a ratchet gear 81 fixed on the shaft Vperiphery which acts asthe front reservoir wall is moved downwardly` each time the roller is rotatively shifted through themovements of the larm 83; in the present instance, the pawl`86 is of the hook or drag type, is arranged to gravitally bear against` the `toothed periphery of the ratchet gear 81, and has its working `point operatively engageable between adjacent `teeth of the gear 85 only when moving upwardly, With the present arrangement, the pawl 81 `is operative to effect -:airotaryshift of the -rollerl while the 1arm1'83 "is movingi'towardfthe shaft E65.

In the present structure, the cams lit and 'I1 '-are'similarly disposed with respectto #the `shaft "B6 'which carries them. The resulting operation l It -will vnow'be noted thatthe bottom of the 'cavity of .theink trough `62 is 'defined by atrans- -versely 'and :resiliently flexible plate `88 iixedly -isecured at its'rear :portion vand sloping down- Wardly rom'itsrear edge to dispose its front edge f891adja'centand along'the Iperiph'eralvface of the pick-`up roller v(il, said plate being sealedly engaged between ltrough ends 9D. Since the thicki ness of the layer oiin'k which is lcarried from the `trough 'bottom on the :roller `face as the roller is rotated is determined by the `proximity ,of the 4vrontedge' of the 'plate 88 'to the roller, means are v provided `foradjusting the disposal of the for` Ward 'plate edge `with 'respect to the roller for controlling Athe quantity of 'ink available for relmoval by the transfer roller 63.

As lparticularly shown, the under face of the forward portion of the plate 88 is engaged bythe points o'f screws `9| which .are operative to flex the plate '88 upwardly against itsl resilient resistance toibending4 for providing an adjusted scraper action atthe roller,'it being noted that'the path Aoadjustment ofthe plate edge 89 intersects the cylinder of the rollers; in this mannerL'an ad- Justmen't'of the thickness of the film 'of ink carried downwardly fand` forwardly by the roller 6l *for :removal 'by "the transfer roller 63 may be elected. Thefscrews -9'| vare shown as threadedly mounted in a plate member 92 underlying vthe 4scraper plate ,"88 and vhaving an upwardly offset rear Vportion providing thev `support for the rear portion of the scraper plate.

- 'From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the

-advantages of the construction andoperation of 'the present branding machine will be readily `understood by .those skilled in the art to which 'thisinvention appertains 'While Ihave described )the 'features and principles of operations of` a v's'tructurewl'iichll now'consider to comprise a pre- "ferred embodiment of my invention, I desire to have it understood that the showing is primarily illustrative, and that such changes may be made, `when desired, as fall within the scope of the following claims.

`I claim: y 1. In a machine for entraining and conveying globate articles having equatorial ridges, a hopper for containing a heaped supply of the articles and having a fixed and inclined bottom, a cylin- I'drical carrier drum `havingits cylindrical vfacie defining thehopper end at its lower bottom edge and arranged for its rotation about ,a horizontal" axis to move the hopper-defining portion of its ycylindrical face upwardly, said drum being provvided with a spherically concave article-receiving `socket for `movement ropposite the hopper and "having aradial extension at the following side of the socket having its forward face spherically concave as the socket face 4in rearwardly stepped `relation. thereto, said extension being arranged fto'engage beneath a bottom article of the heap in the 'hopper-to Jmove the article upwardly through :gnomes the overlying .articles `of lthe heap :in irictinal engagement therewith andforfits :subsequent rdis- -posal by gravity in the associated socket,f:and

`means adjacent the ihopper bottom operative to direct a bottom article into :the `path 'of move- -ment ofthe extension.

l 2. A structure'zin accordance with :claim ll .having the'socket provided with a -facing of resiliently yielding material terminatingatthe cylindrical face of the sdrum.

3. In a conveyerfor entraining and similarly 4 positioning thereon similar globate'articles having equatorial ridges, a hopper for containing -a y.formed to provide a rearwardly extending shouljder for .laterally engaging the ridge of the article las `a stop to limit therotation Vof .the article `.in `lthe moving socket by reason of its frictionalen- 4gagementiwith the' overlying articles andso vretainl the mounted article with the-plane of its equatorial ridge in predetermined angular relation tothe carrier during its subsequent removal from beneath the other articles. i

4. In a conveyer for entrainingand similarly positioning thereon similar globate' articles havingequatorial ridges, a hopper for containing Aa heaped supply of the articles for the individual removal thereofpa carrier havinga generally upright portion thereof arranged for its operative lupward movement and provided with a spherically concave and substantially hemispherical varticle-receiving socket having :the Yplane of rits .mouth generally parallel to its llinezof movement and having a lateral extension atfthe following 'side of the socket having'its forwardface spherically concave as the socket lface in rearwardly stepped relation thereto to provide .a shoulder between said socket and `extension lface, said socket extension being arranged to engage beneath a bottom article of the heap in thehopper to move the article upwardly through the -over- :lyingarticles of the heap in frictional engagement therewith while a substantial portion 'of the engaged article extends Vinto the socket space, whereby the equatorial ridge ofthe article may be brought to laterally bear and be held flat against said shoulder ,during and by reason of the movement of the article through the heap of articles in the hopper,nand `means'adjacent the hopper bottom operative to direct a bottom arti- :cle into the Vpath of'movement'of the extension.

5. In a machinefor entraining and conveying globate articles having yequatorial ridges, a hop- =per for containing aheaped supply ofthe articles yand having 'an inclined bottomya carrierrdening thelfropper iendzat its .lower bottom edge and farvranged for its actuationl to ,m'ove .its hopper-deu fining portion upwardly, isaid carrier :being projvided with a spherically .concave article-receiving socket for movement opposite vthe hopper and being provided with la xed extension at its fiollowing side and extending transversely from Ythe carrier into the hopper Aspace andhaving its for- -ward face spherically concave as the socket-facie in rearwardly stepped'relation thereto, said 'exe tension being arranged to engage beneath a boty'tom article lof the heap =in the 'hopper to move 4the article upwardly y'through Ethe overlying articles of the heap in `frictional engagement therewith, and means operative adjacent the hopper bottom to direct a bottom article into the path of movement of the extension.

6. In a machine for entraining `and conveying globate articles having equatorial ridges, a hop-` per for containing a heaped supply of the articles` and having an inclinedbottom, and a carrier dening the hopper end at its lower bottom edge and arranged for its actuation to move its hopper-denng portion upwardlypsaid carrier being s being arranged to supportingly engage beneath provided with a spherically concave article-re i ceivingsocket for movement opposite the hopper and being provided with a xed extension at its following side and extending transversely from the carrier into the hopper space and having its forward face spherically concave as the socket face in rearwardly stepped relation thereto to provide a planar shoulder between `said socket and Aextension faces, said extension being ara ranged tolengage beneath a bottom article `of the heap in the hopper to fmove the article upwardly` through the overlying articles oi the heap in frictional engagement'therewith whereby ,the equatorial ridge of the article may be brought to laterallybear and be held flat against the said` shoulder during and by reason of the movement of the `article through the heap in the hopper.'

7. In a conveyer for entraining and conveying globate articles having equatorial ridges, aircontinuous hopper for containing a heaped supply of the articles, a carrier provided with a spherically concave article-receiving socket for its upward movement through the hopper and its more l or less horizontal movement beyond the hopper,

said socket having a radial extension at the fols i lowing side of the socketwith its forward face spherically concave, as the socket face, in rearwardly stepped relation thereto, said extension a `bottoni article of the heap in `the hopper to move the engaged article upwardly through the overlying articles of the heap in frictional en-` gagement therewith while said article extends into the associated socket for its subsequent supported disposal by gravity in the socket as the `movement of the socket approaches the horizontal;

8. In a machine for entraining and conveying l globate articles having equatorial ridges, a hopper for containing a heaped supply of the articles in random positions and providing an upright -discharge opening for the gravity "discharge of the articles therethrough, and a carrier havnga generally upright` portion thereof opposite` the discharge opening of` the hopper and providing sion at the following side of the socket and adja-` s `cent the socket and having its forward face spherically concave, as the socket face, in rear-` wardly stepped relation thereto to provide between the socket face and the forward extension face a shoulder in the plane of the socket mouth and having a width no less than the height of the mounted article.

JARL `ienrinsoii. s 

